Demolition of fire-damaged St. Mary's Church in Melrose begins

MELROSE, MINN. - A pair of construction workers on Monday morning cut the crosses off the top of the Church of St. Mary in Melrose, some of the last pieces marked for preservation before crews knock down the community landmark this week.

Demolition of the 122-year-old granite and brick structure, damaged in a 2016 arson fire, began Monday despite a preservation effort that led to a lawsuit against the Diocese of St. Cloud and created divisions among local Catholics.

St. Cloud Bishop Donald Kettler ultimately decided to replace the church with a more modern building on land nearby, and has raised $2.24 million from parishioners and others who support the plan.

But local resident Mindy Thull, whose grandparents had their funerals at St. Mary’s, said she’ll miss seeing the distinctive twin-spired church about a block from her home.

“It’s just hard,” she said, watching the construction workers from across the street. “A lot of people got married and baptized there.”

A handful of die-hard preservationists arrived early Monday to witness the building in its final hours. Gerry Osendorf, a member of the group Friends to Restore St. Mary’s Church, had hoped to see an investor take over the church and preserve it for city use.

“It was built by horsepower and manpower, and they did a fantastic job,” he said.

The 2016 fire engulfed an elaborate wooden altar, and smoke and water damaged much of the interior. But Osendorf said a structural engineer hired to examine the church after the fire found the walls, roof and foundation were sound.

An arson investigation determined that the fire was set by a local boy.

In a liturgy of commemoration posted on YouTube last week, the Rev. Marv Enneking, St. Mary’s pastor, asked parishioners to come together.

“The past four years have been difficult for all of us here at St. Mary’s,” he said. “It’s been a difficult journey. We grieve the loss of our beautiful church and miss and cherish the memories and the many blessings we experienced there …

“Difficult to let this go? Absolutely, it was a beautiful church. But I believe God is asking us to continue forward.”

Matt McKinney • 612-673-7329

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